Cakemeister

Would love it if Playmakers stayed open later with a scaled down "late night" menu.

Someone had mentioned in one of the other threads that the pizza thing was just a distraction from an across-the-board price increase. Give with one hand and take with the other. 

There is a blog post:
I used my Royal Caribbean loyalty perks on Celebrity Cruises. Here's how it saved me a lot of money | Royal Caribbean Blog

Me, too. I've already booked one cruise on Princess, just to try them out. I'll probably book one on Norwegian as well, and MSC when they come to Galveston. Princess are price-competitive now, and if the food is better then Diamond benefits won't keep me with Royal, even if Icon 3 does come to Galveston.

Someone had mentioned in one of the other threads that the pizza thing was just a distraction from an across-the-board price increase. Give with one hand and take with the other. 

Me, too. I've already booked one cruise on Princess, just to try them out. I'll probably book one on Norwegian as well, and MSC when they come to Galveston. Princess are price-competitive now, and if the food is better then Diamond benefits won't keep me with Royal, even if Icon 3 does come to Galveston.

Never heard of 'im.

Who's that? 🙂

I would pay for pizza, if it was worth paying for. A deep-dish pizza with tons of cheese and toppings, fresh out of the oven, would be great!
Sorrento's, not so much.

I would pay for pizza, if it was worth paying for. A deep-dish pizza with tons of cheese and toppings, fresh out of the oven, would be great!
Sorrento's, not so much.

I would pay for pizza, if it was worth paying for. A deep-dish pizza with tons of cheese and toppings, fresh out of the oven, would be great!
Sorrento's, not so much.

I would pay for pizza, if it was worth paying for. A deep-dish pizza with tons of cheese and toppings, fresh out of the oven, would be great!
Sorrento's, not so much.

I'm going on a cruise in January and my passport expires in May. Just in case, I'm bringing a birth certificate. It is possible that they won't accept my passport since it expires less than six months after the cruise.
EDIT: Cruising from Galveston, closed-loop.

I'm going on a cruise in January and my passport expires in May. Just in case, I'm bringing a birth certificate. It is possible that they won't accept my passport since it expires less than six months after the cruise.
EDIT: Cruising from Galveston, closed-loop.

If you are doing a closed-loop US cruise you will have no problem. My passport expired in June and I used it many times to sail up through the end of May, at which time I sent it in for renewal.  I brought my Birth Certificate with me just in case but never needed it.  I am now cruising using my BC as my new passport has not yet arrived.  It’s been very easy.

You can take it here! It even has a question near the end that asks if you’d be interested in a planetarium. 

I think if they were 100% certain, they would just do it an not ask.  The presence of the question though indicates that they would like to charge for it.
While I'm all for a modular approach so those that don't want internet don't pay for it, those that don't want drink packages don't pay for them etc.  Somehow this seems too modular to me and I would rather the cost of Sorrento's just be overhead and spread into all of the fares.
I said in the Princess thread that I can see how their change bothers Princess customers, but to me, who hasn't cruised on Princess, it makes no difference.  The same applies here.  Of course it's going to bother us.  The included food is a bedrock of the experience and we have a relationship with it.  To those that never cruised, they'll probably not care one bit.
If it ever does come to pass, it seems counter to the food court of more included options that is being added to Icon.  it would also be counter to a primary area where RCI rates lower than their direct competitors NCL and Carnival.  Casual included food.
I hate that the genie is even out of the bottle.  Time will answer all of our questions.

Lifeboats can obstruct the view from a balcony.  great room means different things to different people.  To me a great room has rooms above it and below it and on the sides.  it is also near the aft elevators on the midship side.

The gas tank on an Oasis-class ship is about 5000 cubic meters. An Olympic-size swimming pool is about 2500 cubic meters. If the reactor takes up about the same space as the engines would, this might open up some possibilities for more bars and restaurants. Hooray!
The LNG tanks on Icon weigh 300 tons each and are 90 feet long. Just think of what you could do with the extra space!
Icon of the Seas Construction Update: LNG Fuel Tank Installation | Royal Caribbean Press Center
 
The problem I see is the difference in lifespan between the reactor and the rest of the ship. The USS Nimitz is fifty years old.
Plus:
 
 

Nah. You just ordered one dessert. 🙂 I always order three appetizers, one entree, and three desserts. No one seems surprised. I'm sure the waitstaff has seen everything.

Nah. You just ordered one dessert. 🙂 I always order three appetizers, one entree, and three desserts. No one seems surprised. I'm sure the waitstaff has seen everything.

Nah. You just ordered one dessert. 🙂 I always order three appetizers, one entree, and three desserts. No one seems surprised. I'm sure the waitstaff has seen everything.

The Key may have more value on shorter cruises, as some of the benefits are at the beginning and end of the cruise.
Xaa had a really good take on it. Take the cost of the key and subtract the cost of a single two-device Internet package, or two one-device packages if you are Waaaytooo. Then figure out what you think each benefit is worth and add them up. This will be different for everyone. 
Here's a list of the benefits, minus the Internet package:
Priority access during The Key designated arrival time (to be communicated via email). Other benefits may apply at specific ports.* Carry-on bag drop off with delivery to your stateroom. ** Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring The Key signature menu.*** Access to the fast lane at onboard activities (activities vary by ship)and private time at the Flowrider. Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore. Dedicated seating at shows in the Main Theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70.**** On debarkation day, enjoy an exclusive á la carte breakfast and choice departure What is each of these worth to you? Matt has posted on multiple occasions that the sum total of the benefits are not worth the cost, especially since the Key costs $35.99 when it is on sale. For able-bodied suite guests, I would say that the choice is clear to not get The Key. For someone who doesn't need an Internet package or who needs two or more devices per person, don't get the Key. If you are on a short cruise and are disabled and need one Internet package per person, get it if the price is right.

The Key may have more value on shorter cruises, as some of the benefits are at the beginning and end of the cruise.
Xaa had a really good take on it. Take the cost of the key and subtract the cost of a single two-device Internet package, or two one-device packages if you are Waaaytooo. Then figure out what you think each benefit is worth and add them up. This will be different for everyone. 
Here's a list of the benefits, minus the Internet package:
Priority access during The Key designated arrival time (to be communicated via email). Other benefits may apply at specific ports.* Carry-on bag drop off with delivery to your stateroom. ** Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring The Key signature menu.*** Access to the fast lane at onboard activities (activities vary by ship)and private time at the Flowrider. Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore. Dedicated seating at shows in the Main Theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70.**** On debarkation day, enjoy an exclusive á la carte breakfast and choice departure What is each of these worth to you? Matt has posted on multiple occasions that the sum total of the benefits are not worth the cost, especially since the Key costs $35.99 when it is on sale. For able-bodied suite guests, I would say that the choice is clear to not get The Key. For someone who doesn't need an Internet package or who needs two or more devices per person, don't get the Key. If you are on a short cruise and are disabled and need one Internet package per person, get it if the price is right.

It is not available at every port. Basically it allows you to pay to leave your luggage outside your cabin and Royal transports it to the airport and checks it on your behalf. You won't see the luggage again until you arrive to baggage claim after your flight home.